Free Character Writing Prompts #27: Landlords

Your rent is due on these 10 character writing prompts about landlords. While not all of us have been fortunate enough to deal with such colorful characters, landlords have been much maligned in stories as being greedy, unlawful and angry with few in the way of positive qualities. I have not personally had too many landlord troubles in my time, but I have heard many tales from friends of "the landlord from hell" which makes for a vivid character in a story. To keep away from clichés, however, we will intersperse some landlords who are simply looking to provide tenants with a positive experience, for better or worse.

Free Character Writing Prompts #27: Landlords

1. When he came by your apartment on your move in day, you thought it was a kind gesture. When he repeated that gesture for the next 13 days, you started to wonder what you'd gotten yourself into. He was only about a decade older than you, so it wasn't completely strange for you to be hanging out, only you weren't friend in the first place. He would eat your food, play your video games and constantly remind you that he had a key to your house. You wondered if he was violating some apartment ethics code or if he was just friendly and weird. What are some of the stranger things he has done in your apartment?

2. This man was so cheap, you wondered how he ever ended up owning a condo. When you rented from him, he said that he had a repairman available 24 hours a day, but you never expected it to be him. He had absolutely no technical skills to speak of. When he came to fix a noise in the refrigerator, he ended up rendering it completely useless, spoiling all your food. He wore thrift-shop clothes that were clearly too big for him and he asked for the rent a few days early each month if possible. How did this cheapskate come to be a landlord and what other corners has he cut?

3. When you had the cops called on you for a noise violation, she quickly pointed out that she had the right to do so in your lease agreement. The only problem, there was no noise coming from you apartment because you had been sound asleep. She had always seemed a little off when you first rented from her, but the cops were called five nights in a row and you were starting to get the hint that she was completely off her rocker. She even once asked for payment in meat instead of a check. How did this woman become so off and will she continue to interfere with your life?

4. While her name wasn't Mrs. Robinson, she certainly acted like it was. She would frequently call you over to her apartment to help her with chores and to reach things from low places. It took you a few times to realize that she wasn't just looking for help with odd jobs. She even asked if you could stay with her one week when your apartment was being fumigated. Eventually, her requests became more and more forward until you falsely told her you were in a relationship. This didn't stop her in the slightest and she began sending you lewd pictures of herself. Will she ever be successful at coaxing you into her life or will you have to do something drastic to call it quits?

5. A couple of months after you signed your lease, you finally grasped that your landlord spoke exactly no English whatsoever. When you moved in, you must have dealt with the landlord's son or brother from out of town because communication with him was literally impossible. He would knock on your door around midnight on the last day of the month asking for the rent. You had absolutely no luck getting him to come over and fix things, he would just hang up on you. How did this man become a landlord and will he get in any trouble for being a poor one?

6. After experiencing a natural disaster, you expected at least a little human sympathy from your landlord. Instead, he sent you a letter announcing that he'd be raising your rent over 20 percent. He threatened to kick you and the rest of your neighbors out unless you paid the raised rates. You didn't know what to do as you certainly couldn't afford the price hike. You wondered to yourself what kind of jerk would take advantage of people like that as you made your way to your local alderman's office. Why did this landlord decide to take advantage of his tenants and what will be the result of his money grab?

7. Her parents were trying to teach her self-reliance by handing over deed of the building to her. The only problem is that this made an 18-year-old girl your landlord and she wanted absolutely nothing to do with it. When her and her boyfriend would come over to assess issues, you felt like you were hiring an irresponsible babysitter, not trying to get your apartment fixed. You even caught them making out on your couch once when they were supposed to be fixing the kitchen tiles. You knew they said that girls tended to mature faster than boys, but she seemed to be the exception to the rule. Will she learn self-reliance or just take advantage of the freedom she was given?

8. When you opened the door to your apartment, you expected it to be empty. It wasn't. It was completely full of people and it's all because your landlord was having an every floor of the building party. She acted surprised that she never told you and handed you a drink, made up of materials from your own liquor cabinet. Your landlord seemed pretty laid back and fun when you met her, but you weren't sure if you were laid back enough to let this party stand. Before you could say a word she was already running off the other direction toward a table of Jell-O shots. Does she do these sorts of things with all her tenants and why would she think your apartment was fair game?

9. He was large and in charge and you were deathly afraid of pointing out any issues in the apartment. The first time you reported a problem, water pressure with your shower head, he literally cranked the sockets with his hands until the pressure worked. He left his hand imprints there on the metal as a reminder only to call him for emergencies. He looked like a bouncer at a top-tier night club, not the guy you gave your rent money to. You even heard a story about how he treated the last tenant who was late on the rent. How did this hulking creature become a landlord and what does he do for fun?

10. She was a little, old lady who owned the entire block. She was content spending her time inside, offering cookies to those who came by and flipping through photo books of her grandchildren. She had employees to handle all of the technical work at the houses, but appreciated when people came by to chat with her when dropping off their rent checks. They were amazed to see just how much she'd lived in her time on this planet as if it were several lifetimes back to back. She had been all around the world and had stories to tell about various historic events that you could only read about nowadays. What are some of the things she's done, how did she become a landlord and what are some of her regrets in life?

Bryan Cohen is the author of more than 30 books, many of which focus on creative writing and blasting through that pesky writer's block. His books have sold more than 20,000 copies. You can find him on Google+ and Facebook.

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